


Ice and Emeralds

by QueenToriOfBC



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Thorne & Rowling
Genre: Albius - Freeform, AlbusxScorpius, Gay, Good Slytherins, Hogwarts, LGBTQ Character, LGBTQ Themes, Love, M/M, Romance, Scorbus, ScorpiusxAlbus - Freeform, Slytherin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-27
Updated: 2018-07-03
Packaged: 2018-12-20 16:14:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11924550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenToriOfBC/pseuds/QueenToriOfBC
Summary: Albus Severus Potter is nearing the end of his fifth year at Hogwarts. As March turns to April, Albus is struck with the reality that he has fallen in love with his best friend, the infamous Scorpius Malfoy. Before long, the two are swept up in a romance unlike any that Hogwarts has ever seen, but not everything is alright in the Malfoy family. Scorpius is deeply worried about his father, Draco, who is suffering through depression, and questions whether he should leave his education behind to be with his dad. Soon, the boys find themselves relying on each other to get through the hardest of times in a summer they will never forget.





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Hello readers,  
> This is my first fanfiction. I have worked very hard on it and I hope you like it.  
> Enjoy,  
> Victoria

As Albus Severus Potter looked around, he could tell the school was buzzing with excitement. There seemed to be an air of anticipation that filled the corridors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. All students in third year and up would be visiting Hogsmeade tomorrow and everywhere Albus went, students were chattering lively about their plans for the day trip to the all-magic village. 

"I'm excited for tomorrow," said Scorpius Malfoy, Albus's best friend, and fellow Slytherin. The pair of them were walking up to the Great Hall for dinner, accompanied by a few of their Slytherin friends. 

"I can't wait to visit Honeydukes again," said Noah Shacklebolt, a fourth year from their house. "I've finished all my Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans from last time. I'll have to buy some more." 

"Noah, you never share your Beans," Keith Zabini groaned. "You even eat the bogey-flavoured ones. Maybe this time, you won't devour all your sweets yourself." 

"If Noah paid for it all, he gets to eat it all," Albus said, laughing. 

The four of them reached the Great Hall, a vast, cavernous room lit by thousands of floating candles suspended above their heads. The enchanted ceiling, which was bewitched to mimic the sky, was midnight blue and twinkled with stars tonight. The boys took their seats at the Slytherin table, joining a few more of their friends. Heiress Jordan and Selel Finnigan, both fifth years, were already seated, anxiously waiting for the Friday feast to begin. 

"Tomorrow, I'm filling my pockets with as many Spell Checking Quills as I can carry," Heiress announced as they sat down. "Mum and Dad sent me a few Galleons yesterday." 

"Really?" Keith snorted. "I'm getting all the Wizochoc I can get." 

It had been over a year since Albus and Scorpius had gone on their adventures with the Time Turner and defeated Delphini, the daughter of Lord Voldemort and Bellatrix Lestrange. Since then, the pair had led reasonably normal lives in Slytherin, making good friends with the other boys and girls in their house and in Gryffindor. The rumours about Scorpius's parentage had disappeared. The truth was now well-known and accepted. Albus and Scorpius were regarded as heroes and made it into many people's good graces. They were now in their fifth year and nearing the end of March. 

"The last time I ate Wizochoc, I made myself sick," Scorpius admitted sheepishly. The group laughed as a soft tinkling sounded from the far end of the Hall, where stood the long staff table. Professor Minerva McGonagall, headmistress of Hogwarts, rapped her spoon against her goblet and cleared her throat. 

"Your attention, please." She addressed the four tables in a stern voice. "I would like to remind all students attending Hogsmeade tomorrow that they should wake early, finish breakfast, and be waiting in the Entrance Hall by nine o'clock sharp. Any dawdling may result in losing your Hogsmeade privileges. However, until then, tuck in."

At that moment, the brass platters and goblets along all four tables filled themselves with every kind of food and drink. Albus helped himself to some mashed potatoes and chicken wings. He and his friends chatted merrily about their plans for the upcoming trip and when all the plates were clean, Professor McGonagall dismissed them, and the group headed back to the Slytherin common room. 

"I think tomorrow's going to be great," Scorpius said cheerfully as they wound their way through the crowded corridors and down to the dungeons. "It's been a long time since I've had a nice, warm glass of butterbeer." 

Albus couldn't help but agree. He missed the foamy, butterscotch-flavoured drink as well. "We should go to The Three Broomsticks tomorrow and get some," he suggested. 

Scorpius shrugged. "Yeah, maybe."

Back in the dormitory, Albus and Scorpius changed into their pajamas and attempted to finish their Transfiguration homework. Albus was working on a particularly difficult essay. Scorpius, who had already completed and submitted his essay, was reading the next few chapters in their textbook and trying to get ahead on next week's assignments. 

"You're such a geek, you know that?" Albus snickered as he watched his friend study spells he had never seen before. 

Scorpius blushed. "We have O.W.L.s this year. I want to make sure I'm prepared." Albus rolled his eyes. 

Still, watching Scorpius was more interesting than attempting to explain in two rolls of parchment how to successfully Transfigure a goose into a swan, so he abandoned his essay and grinned as Scorpius transformed his pillow into a large cat and back again. With every swish of his wand, the fat tabby popped in and out of existence. They laughed heartily as the cat grew more and more annoyed with each transformation. As it got late, the other boys told them to shut up and go to sleep. 

Albus turned off his lamp and buried himself beneath his covers. "Goodnight, Scorpius," he murmured sleepily. 

"Goodnight, Albus." 

And with the thought of sipping butterbeers with his best friend the next day, Albus fell into a deep sleep.


	2. Chapter Two

Albus was woken the next morning when a pale, blond figure ripped open his emerald bed curtains.

"Rise and shine, sleepyhead!" Scorpius sang as he pulled Albus's blankets off of him. He groaned and squinted in the oppressive sunlight. As much as he hated this daily morning ritual, he was glad Scorpius didn't let him sleep through his classes every day. He rubbed his eyes with his fists and swung his legs over the edge of his bed.

"Hogsmeade today!" Scorpius called and with a flick of his wand, Keith's and Selel's blankets were yanked away as well. The boys yawned sleepily, but they were used to this. Albus saw that Scorpius was already dressed in jeans and a jade green sweatshirt.

"Blimey, Scorpius, do you have to be so annoying?" Selel complained as he sat up. "It's the crack of dawn!"

Scorpius only chuckled and dropped down on his already-made bed.

"You should get dressed. I want to get up to the Great Hall as soon as possible," he said.

"What's your hurry?" Albus muttered, standing and stretching his arms. Scorpius had a strange, dazed expression on his face.

"There's something I want to do," he answered, a note of something like hope in his voice.

After getting dressed, the Slytherins made their way to the Great Hall. The familiar feeling of eagerness lingered stronger than ever. They sat at the Slytherin table, Albus hungrily filling his plate with toast and eggs. Everyone ate quickly, jingling gold and silver coins, discussing the bookshops and music stores they planned on visiting. Albus locked eyes with Scorpius and was shocked to see the anxiety in his features. He hadn't eaten a thing.

"Are you okay?" Albus asked quietly. His friend kept glancing over his shoulder and taking deep breaths.

"I'm fine," Scorpius responded. "I'll be right back."

Without another word, he stood and swaggered over to the --

"Why’s Scorp going to the Gryffindor table?" Selel asked, confusion crossing his face.

Albus looked on in horror as his best friend transformed before his eyes. He stood up straighter and strode confidently to the Gryffindor table, sitting down next to none other than Albus's cousin and Gryffindor prefect, Rose Granger-Weasley. Flashing a charming smile, Scorpius said something to Rose that Albus couldn't hear. She and her friends laughed.

Albus felt something squirm unpleasantly in his stomach. Scorpius had had a crush on Rose since their first year together. He had asked her out last Christmas and she gently let him down. Surely, the same would happen this time. Scorpius had said he was receiving more and more pity from Rose, but his cousin was a clever girl. She would see through this ridiculous front Scorpius was putting on.

"Don't tell me he's trying to flirt with Rose again," Heiress gasped. "She's bound to get tired of breaking his heart all the time."

"He's in love with her," Noah suggested. "What's he supposed to do?"

Albus swallowed his toast and pushed his plate away. He had lost his appetite. It bothered him, seeing Scorpius with Rose. She was his cousin, after all. He was protective over her.  
Scorpius came back to the table, the widest grin stretching across his face.

"I just asked Rose out on a date today," he informed them. "I invited her to join me at Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop."

Keith sighed. "You'll get her next time, mate."

Scorpius smirked. "She said yes."

It was like he had announced their wedding. Half the Slytherin table leaped to their feet and applauded Scorpius, slapping him on the back and congratulating him. Scorpius turned bright red and even took a bow.

"I knew she'd say yes someday," he said proudly.

Albus forced a smile. He thought he'd be drinking butterbeer with his best friend today. Now it seemed Scorpius would be spending the day with Rose.

"You did it, Scorp," he softly uttered.

Twenty minutes later, they were gathered in the Entrance Hall, bundled in sweaters and ready to leave. Albus clutched his money pouch tightly and stood in a huddle with his friends.

"Look, Rose is coming over," Scorpius said happily, peering over their heads.

Sure enough, Rose was striding towards them, her little brother, Hugo, in tow. Walking with them were James and Lily Potter, Albus’s older brother and younger sister.

"So," Rose huffed. "Where are we going first?"

"Can we go to Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes?" said Hugo jubilantly. His and Rose’s father, Ron Weasley, ran the joke shop with their uncle, George. "I'd love to get some Fanged Frisbees."

"The last thing we need is you throwing Fanged Frisbees around in the common room," Lily grunted. "I'd rather go to Tomes and Scrolls. I didn't get to go last time."

It was Lily's and Hugo's third year at Hogwarts and the first year they got to go to Hogsmeade. They looked utterly delighted.

"Alright, everyone!" called a loud, male voice. The voice came from Neville Longbottom, the Herbology professor and head of Gryffindor house. All at once, the hundreds of thrilled voices fell silent. Neville was Albus's godfather, but more importantly, he had slain Lord Voldemort's final Horcrux, Nagini, in the Battle of Hogwarts. It was Neville who ultimately defeated the Dark Lord and saved the wizarding world. Albus beamed up at him, standing tall at the front door of the school. Neville caught his eye and winked.

"I'd like you to follow me down to the carriages. They will be transporting you to the village. Six to a carriage," Neville hollered to the bustling crowd.

The heavy oak doors slowly swung open. Neville ushered the students down the steps to a throng of carriages, each being pulled by a leathery Thestral. The fleshless, skeletal, horse-like creatures ruffled their bat-like wings and pawed the hard earth. Albus cast Scorpius a grim look. He knew most students could not see the Thestrals. They could only be seen by wizards who had seen death, and last year, Albus and Scorpius had witnessed Delphi kill their friend, Craig Bowker Jr., right before their eyes. Ever since then, they could both see the eerie Thestrals.

"Six to a carriage!" Neville shouted again as Albus and his friends approached. He smiled warmly at his godson. "How're you doing, Albus?"

"Alright, I suppose," he told him. "I can’t wait to buy some sweets."

Neville let out a hearty laugh and clapped him on the shoulder. "Have fun today, son."

Albus nodded. He looked up only to realize Scorpius had vanished. Glancing around, he saw his best friend disappear into a carriage with Rose Granger-Weasley. A sinking feeling flooded him as he followed James and Hugo into the next carriage. Squished between Selel and Heiress, Albus said very little as the Thestrals began to pull them onwards. He kept thinking of how Scorpius had chased after Rose without so much as a backward glance. His bad mood must have appeared obvious, because after a few minutes, his brother noticed.

"What's the matter, little brother?" James asked, nudging Albus’s knee.

"I'm okay," Albus lied. "I'm just stuck between these two." He pointed his thumbs to Heiress and Selel, who were in a heated argument over who could fit the most Liquorice Wands in their mouth at once. James guffawed and boasted that he once stuffed his face with a least twenty. Albus's mood didn't improve much for the rest of the journey. 

Soon enough, they reached Hogsmeade. Swarms of students flooded the shops along the chilly street. A large crowd had already formed outside Honeydukes. Albus, James, Hugo, Selel, Heiress, and Lily joined up with Scorpius, Rose, and Noah. The group decided to hit Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes first, because it was impossible to get anywhere near Honeydukes.

"All the good sweets are going to be sold out by the time we get there!" Noah complained as they poured into the joke shop.

“Welcome!” a loud voice called as they squeezed through the front door. A tall, thin, red-headed man sauntered toward them, his arms spread wide.

“Hi dad,” Rose cried gleefully as she embraced her father. Ron Weasley hugged her tightly and playfully ruffled Hugo’s equally red hair.

Then, a voice came from behind them. “Oy, Ron, who’s that?”

Another red-haired man walked in through the back door of the shop, carrying a box with warning labels stamped on it. He looked slightly older than Ron, but his face still possessed a childlike glow. At the sight of his nieces and nephews, he dropped the box and ran toward them. He wrapped Rose, Hugo, Albus, James, and Lily up in a very big and uncomfortable group hug. 

“We are so glad you came in,” George Weasley said. “We just received a large shipment of Nose Biting Teacups. We can’t wait to show you all.” 

After an hour or so of browsing through all kinds of fireworks and Extendable Ears, and chatting with the Weasley brothers, the group made their purchases and left. Albus hadn't bought a thing. He stuffed his money pouch into his pocket, seeing as he really didn't plan on buying much today. The group strolled up the street towards Dominic Maestro's Music Shop. Albus stayed behind, watching Scorpius walking by Rose's side. The two howled with laughter over the Nose Biting Teacups Scorpius had bought for Rose. He glared at the back of Scorpius's head, wishing he had something to throw at him.

All his friends talked cheerfully as they marched over a hill and found the music store. They examined bizarre magic musical instruments that played themselves and formed a beautiful symphony. A silver violin hovered in mid-air near the back of the shop, the bow drawing a sweet lullaby from the strings.

"Care to dance?" Albus heard Scorpius say. He turned to see Rose chuckle softly. Scorpius placed a palm on her waist and took her hand. She glared at him sternly, but let him take her in his arms and they began to sway slowly to the music. It was hard to watch them shuffling awkwardly, trying not to step on each other's toes, but the two appeared to be enjoying themselves. The giggled like idiots as their friends observed them, commenting on how cute they were.  
Albus wasn't sure he wanted to see any more of this, so he excused himself and exited the shop.

 

The day passed by agonizingly slowly. Albus followed his friends through Tomes and Scrolls and Honeydukes, neither of which he could properly enjoy. Everyone was having too much fun to notice his unhappiness. Scorpius hadn't said a word to Albus since that morning. It was as if being in Rose's company had completely wiped the thought of Albus from his mind. Feeling irritable, Albus sulked miserably on a bench outside Honeydukes, listening to fragments of laughter from within the sweets shop. He had gotten fed up with witnessing Scorpius flirt with Rose next to the No-Melt Ice Cream, telling her she was the sweetest thing in the whole store.

Soon, they finally left Honeydukes, Noah's shopping bag loaded with Every Flavour Beans, Keith's full of Wizochoc, and Rose's filled with all the Cauldron Cakes Scorpius had bought for her.

By late afternoon, Scorpius declared that it was time for his date with Rose. He gracefully took her hand and planted a kiss upon it.

"May I take you to tea, my lady?" he asked in a baritone voice. She smirked at him and nodded eagerly. She bid her brother, cousins, and friends farewell. Scorpius barely glanced at Albus as he hesitantly put an arm around Rose's shoulders. The two of them started down the road to Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop, otherwise known as "the haunt for happy couples." Albus frowned and stared after them, a small part of him wishing for something he couldn't put into words.


	3. Chapter Three

It was nine o'clock in the evening. Albus sat on his bed in the Slytherin dorm. Unfinished Herbology homework lay scattered across his blankets. Knowing his godfather marked his work, Albus always tried to do his best in Herbology. However, tonight he simply couldn't focus. The other boys were being rather rowdy over in the common room, but that wasn't what was bothering him. 

Scorpius had completed ignored him that day. He was so swept up in spending a day in Rose's good favour that he seemed to have forgotten his best friend entirely. He didn't speak to Albus at all during dinner. Instead, he talked non-stop to the other Slytherin boys about his how his date with Rose had gone and how she would soon fall in love with him. 

Overall, Albus had had better Hogsmeade trips. Seeing Scorpius follow Rose around bothered him. Scorpius could at least respect that she was his cousin. Also, it was cold of him to turn his back on Albus like that. The unpleasant, sinking feeling lingered in his stomach. It brought down his mood significantly. Sighing deeply, he tried not to think of his cousin and his best friend alone at a table in Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop, joking and sipping hot chocolate. He tried really hard not to think of Scorpius holding her hand, Rose resting her head on his shoulder...

Albus snapped his textbook shut. Too depressed to finish his homework, he decided to get ready for bed. As he began to gather his rolls of parchment, Scorpius walked into the dorm, a big, stupid grin on his face. 

"What a day!" he exclaimed as he fell onto his bed. "Probably the best day of my life." 

"I'm so glad to hear it," Albus snapped, shoving his papers into his school bag. 

"She's amazing. Really. We had so much fun. I can't wait to see her tomorrow," Scorpius said dreamily. "I miss her already." 

"You know, I think I've heard enough about your date, actually. Why don't you go blabber about it to someone else?" Feeling the heat rising to his face, Albus reached for his ink bottle, but knocked it over. It shattered onto the wooden floor, splattering ink everywhere. "Bloody hell," he muttered. 

"Let me help," Scorpius said, rushing over and drawing his wand. 

"I don't need your help," Albus said crossly. Pointing his wand at the black stain on the floor, he said: "Scourgify!" The ink instantly disappeared. And then: "Reparo!" The broken pieces of glass flew together. Albus seized the bottle and threw it into his school bag as well. 

Scorpius sighed. "Look, Albus. I understand why you're angry. I acted like a prat today. I just got really caught up with Rose and I forgot we were supposed to visit The Three Broomsticks together. I'm sorry." 

Albus stared blankly at his friend. If there was one thing he didn't like about Scorpius, it was that he could never stay angry at him. He was disarmed. 

"You're right," Albus said softly. "You did act like a prat." 

The two of them looked at each other for a moment before bursting out laughing. The atmosphere became instantly lighter. 

"I promise not to act like that again," Scorpius said breathlessly. 

"I really hope so," Albus said. 

Scorpius leaned back against his headboard. "So, I suppose you don't want to hear me talk about my date, is that right?" he said.

He shook his head. "Not really." 

A sudden question popped into Albus's mind. He wasn't sure why he wanted to know the answer so badly. 

"Did you kiss?" he asked before he could stop himself. 

Scorpius's cheeks turned pink. "Maybe," he said at last. 

If it was possible for his stomach to sink any lower, it did. 

"Oh." It was all he could say. 

Scorpius raised a silver blond eyebrow. "Why do you want to know?" he asked suspiciously.

In his mind's eye, he saw his cousin and his best friend snogging in a booth at the stuffy old tea shop. The image replayed itself again and again. 

"I don't care, really," Albus said hotly. He could hear the anger in his voice again. "You can kiss whoever you want. To be perfectly honest, it's none of my business." 

He waved his hand dismissively in the air. For some reason, knowing Scorpius and Rose had kissed made his furious. How dare Rose? After all those times she turned Scorpius down, now she decided out of nowhere that she fancied him? She barely even knew him. Her lips had no right kissing his best friend. Albus was even angrier at Scorpius. What was he thinking, kissing Albus's cousin? What did he even see in her, anyway?

"What are you so angry about?" Scorpius asked, shock and frustration in his voice. "Why do you care if I kissed Rose?" 

"I don't!" Albus yelled back. With that, he yanked his bed curtains together, blocking Scorpius from view. He was so angry his hands trembled as he pulled his shirt off and changed into his pajamas. He turned off the light and got under the covers without saying goodnight. For he had finally named the sinking feeling in his stomach. It was jealousy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How are you guys enjoying my story? Leave me a comment and let me know! :)


	4. Chapter Four

Scorpius didn't wake Albus the next morning. Instead, Selel's round, babyish face was the first thing he saw when he opened his eyes. 

"Come on, Albus. It's almost time for breakfast. Didn't Scorp wake you?" 

Albus blinked several times. "No," he said grumpily. "No, he didn't." 

Realizing it was far too early to be bitter, he dismissed Scorpius's immature behaviour and got himself dressed. Selel waited for him and the two walked up to the Great Hall together. 

The Slytherin table was bustling with activity. People were showing off all their magical merchandise. Albus regretted not buying anything. He could have used some Chocolate Frogs right about now. 

Making a point of sitting as far away from Scorpius as possible, Albus ate slowly and without much appetite. His best friend talked lively about the previous day. Albus didn't bother pretending to listen. He was much too annoyed to act like he cared. 

"What's the matter, Albus?" Heiress asked him. "You look troubled." 

Right as Albus opened his mouth to tell her he was fine, he saw Rose Granger-Weasley march up to the table. She dropped into the seat next to Scorpius, flung an arm around his neck, and planted a hard kiss on his cheek. Then, she whispered something in his ear that made Scorpius turn bright pink. And just like that, she got up and strode to her own table. 

Albus could do nothing but stare down at his half-eaten piece of toast. Once again, he lost the will to eat. The sinking feeling, the jealousy, seemed to be boring a hole in his stomach. He couldn't bring himself to cast his cousin an angry glare. Without meaning to, he glanced up at Scorpius. His best friend looked back at him, but broke the eye contact quickly. Albus looked away as well. 

Their first class of the day was History of Magic with the Hufflepuffs. The students from both houses chatted noisily about Rose kissing Scorpius in the Great Hall at breakfast. Even Albus, the only one not joining in the gossip, couldn't focus on Professor Binns's lesson. Toying distractedly with his quill, he thought of spells he could use on Rose if she went near Scorpius again. 

"What's gotten into you two?" 

To his surprise, Keith Zabini had turned to him, his thumb gesturing over his shoulder towards Scorpius, who was doing a bad job of pretending to hate all the attention he was getting. 

"I don't know what you mean," Albus lied, scribbling something on his parchment about giant wars. 

"Save it," Keith said plainly. "You two have been ignoring each other since yesterday morning. Why? Is it because of Rose?" 

So Keith had noticed. What did he think was going on?

"No," he answered calmly, trying to keep all emotion out of his voice. "That's not why." 

He dodged Keith's questions for the rest of the period. Nothing improved much for the rest of the day. Both Noah and Selel tried at getting him to admit what was wrong. They were pretty disappointed when Albus refused to disclose what was bothering him. Last period was the worst. The Slytherins had Defense Against the Dark Arts with the Gryffindors. The whole lesson, Scorpius and Rose sat together, laughing and holding hands. They even stole a few kisses when the teacher wasn't looking. It made Albus sick. 

After a miserable dinner, Albus sat in the Slytherin common room. He finished the last few questions for Herbology and completed his Transfiguration essay. Doing homework distracted him from how awful he was feeling. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough. By eight thirty, he had nothing left to do. Determined to push his thoughts away, he pulled out his copy of Hogwarts: A Revised History. His Aunt Hermione had given James, Lily, and himself a copy each for Christmas last year. Curling up in a squishy armchair next to the fireplace, Albus began flipping through the pages of the fat tome, looking for something interesting to learn more about. He settled on reading about the enchanted ceiling in the Great Hall. 

Albus glanced at his watch a little while later. It was ten thirty. He had devoured several chapters of the history book. The common room was empty except for him. Closing Hogwarts: A Revised History, he shuffled to the dormitory. 

Most of the other boys had turned their lights off and fallen asleep, but one person sat awake. Scorpius Malfoy was reading a fat novel in his pajamas, showing no signs of being tired. He barely looked up when Albus entered the room. 

"What are you reading?" Albus asked, trying to defuse the tension. 

Scorpius's pale eyes moved off the pages. "Oh, so you're talking to me again?" 

Albus scoffed. "Says the one who didn't wake me up this morning! So much for 'I'll never act like that again.' Took you five minutes to go back to ignoring me. Is Rose more important to you, then?" 

Taken aback, Scorpius shook his head. "Of course not." 

"Are you sure about that?" 

Scorpius looked hurt. "Albus, don't think for a second that I care about Rose nearly as much as I care about you. You're my best friend." 

"You haven’t acted like it lately," he retorted. 

There was silence. Albus stared into Scorpius's eyes and was shocked to see them water. 

"I'm so sorry, Albus. I haven't been a very good friend to you. You have every right to be angry. I should never have let Rose come between us. Don't be cross with me, okay?" 

Albus's bitterness dissipated, like it had the night before. "Do you mean it this time?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. 

Scorpius gave a small smile and nodded. "Yes." 

Albus couldn't help grinning. Scorpius's smile was contagious. 

"Let's settle this over a game of Wizard's Chess," Albus suggested. 

All the grief of the last two days melted away. The pair of best friends stifled their laughter, trying not to wake their friends, as they played game after game. Scorpius won each and every time and Albus had watched so many of his pieces get smashed that he eventually gave up. 

"Checkmate!" Scorpius said once again, as he finished off the last of Albus's knights. 

"You're really good at this, you know?" he said as they cleaned up the damaged game pieces and tucked the board under the bed. 

"I think you're just really bad at it, actually," Scorpius admitted. 

Albus chuckled. He thought about how much he had truly missed Scorpius over the past two days. 

"Let's make a promise not to fight again," he said finally. "I don't know if Keith and Selel are enough to spare me from boredom." 

Scorpius smiled warmly. "Agreed. I don't know if I like getting all the attention if none of it's from you." 

There was a pause. A single heartbeat. Then another. Albus peered into Scorpius's eyes. They were the colour of ice or clear water. His silver blond hair, nearly white, had grown a little too long in their past few months at Hogwarts. Albus's eyes fell on Scorpius's lips. It took him a moment to realize he was leaning towards him. His heartbeat seemed to double in speed. He became suddenly very aware of how quiet it was. 

When their lips met, Albus saw nothing but the colour green. It swirled around him and washed over him in waves. Scorpius's lips were beyond soft and surprisingly cold. They tasted like peppermint. He felt the prick of Scorpius's eyelashes against his cheek. Albus could hear his own heartbeat thudding so viciously loud in his ears, he was sure Scorpius could hear it too. Then, he felt Scorpius curl his fingers into the hair at the back of his neck, felt himself being pulled closer, and it felt ... right. In fact, Albus had never felt anything so good in his life. 

Yet, he tore himself away. 

He missed the feeling of Scorpius’s icy skin the second their kiss was broken. Without looking into his eyes, Albus turned away and got into his own bed. He didn't say a word. He had nothing to say. Or rather, he had so much to say that he couldn't dream of spilling it all in one night. 

"Did I do something wrong?" Scorpius whispered desperately, pain evident in his voice. 

Albus blinked the tears out of his eyes. Although it broke his heart, he tore his curtains shut. He didn't dare speak again. Instead, he changed into his pajamas in silence, turned off his lamp, and got between the sheets, glaring into the blackness, too numb to think, to feel anything.

"Albus?" Scorpius whimpered into the darkness.


	5. Chapter Five

As Scorpius Malfoy tossed and turned, he thought of what it felt like to kiss Albus Severus Potter. 

He thought of how it was easy, natural, and deeply satisfying. Compared to a kiss from Rose Granger-Weasley, Scorpius instantly knew which one he preferred. Kissing Rose was nothing like kissing Albus. Her lips were not nearly as gentle. They didn't taste as sweet. Albus's skin, Scorpius thought dreamily, was burning hot and smelled like wood smoke and parchment. His lips were velvet soft.

Scorpius couldn't believe it. He liked Albus. The idea was so ridiculous it nearly made him laugh aloud.

Yet, it made perfect sense. Albus had been the first and best friend he ever had. He had stood by Scorpius when no one else did. Albus had been there for him when his mother, Astoria, passed away. They'd been through thick and thin together. When it really came down to it, Albus was the one who made Scorpius happy. No matter how many friends he'd made at Hogwarts in the past eighteen months, Scorpius knew he'd always run back to Albus. Deep down, it was the boy sleeping in the next bed over that Scorpius needed the most.

But there was still Rose. He was shocked at how quickly and easily his feelings had changed. Less than an hour ago, he loved her with all his heart. Now, he questioned the way he felt about her. Scorpius knew he would have to break up with Rose. It wasn't fair to go on being her boyfriend when he felt this way about Albus. He would have to tell her about the kiss. He'd have to tell her they couldn't be together anymore. It pained Scorpius to even think of hurting her but the alternative was worse. 

Rolling over, Scorpius miserably wondered why Albus had turned his back on him after they had kissed. Was he angry? Did he resent Scorpius for cheating on Rose? Was it possible he didn't enjoy the kiss?

Though it took hours, the night eventually dragged him into unconsciousness.

The next morning, Scorpius woke at his usual early hour. He dressed in sleepy silence as the Sun prepared to rise. Pulling his school robes over his head and tying his shoes, he gingerly pulled Albus's bed curtains open. Albus, stirring not, lay flat on his stomach, untidy brown hair hiding most of his face. His shoulders rose and fell slowly with his breaths. Scorpius felt an overwhelming wave of affection. Resting a hand on Albus's back, he whispered, "Good morning."

Albus's eyes opened groggily beneath his messy hair. "I'm up," he muttered grouchily.

Scorpius smiled and gave his shoulder a squeeze. Then he went to wake the other boys, feeling a warm sense of hope.

Breakfast was a quiet affair. Everyone at the Slytherin table seemed tired and unenthusiastic about the upcoming day of lessons. Albus said very little. He refused to look at Scorpius or speak to him. Any glee Scorpius had from that morning was gone. It seemed the kiss had only made things awkward between himself and his best friend.

Scorpius had to put a conscious effort into avoiding Rose that day. He would delay breaking her heart until he absolutely had to. 

In the meantime he had to put up with Albus's unhappiness. Despite his best efforts, he couldn't think of joke funny enough to cheer him up. Albus was content in keeping to himself and resisting Scorpius's attempts at conversation. Knowing he shouldn't discuss the kiss in public, Scorpius accepted the fact that he'd have to wait until that night to have a proper talk with Albus.

By the time last period rolled around, Scorpius realized the Slytherins had Care of Magical Creatures with the Gryffindors. Rose would be there and everyone would expect them to be glued to each other's side. He found himself hiding out in the library, working on his Potions homework and hoping Madam Pince wouldn't notice him sitting there.

Scorpius skipped dinner and continued to work in the library, now avoiding both Albus and his girlfriend. He had successfully completed his Potions essay, practiced Vanishing Charms, and explained in one roll of parchment why the giant wars of 1764 were significant. Ignoring his own hunger, Scorpius put his work away and headed for the common room.

He approached a portrait of a portly man with thinning hair. He was Horace Slughorn, a former head of Slytherin house. It was Slughorn who had once revealed to Harry Potter a young Tom Riddle's interest in Horcruxes and his desire to split his own soul seven times.

"Merlin's beard," Scorpius muttered to Slughorn, who nodded lazily as his portrait swung open to reveal a hole, through which Scorpius climbed.

Albus was nowhere to be seen. Scorpius felt somewhat relieved. He had no clue how he was going to explain his feelings to him.

Scorpius had barely crossed the threshold of the common room when Noah came bounding towards him, clutching a letter.

"Hi Scorpius," he said airily. "Your owl came in at dinner, but you weren't there. She brought you this."

Noah handed him a slightly damp envelope. He took it gratefully and thanked Noah. Walking over to an armchair by the fireplace, Scorpius opened the letter, which was addressed to him in Draco Malfoy's neat cursive. Tossing the envelope aside, he began to read the letter from his father.

Dear Scorpius,  
I know it hasn't been long since I last wrote to you, but I suppose I just wanted to talk to you again. How is everything? I know homework must be taking up most of your time. I remember my fifth year. My teachers never once stopped pressuring us about O.W.L.s. However, knowing you, you're probably ahead on most of your assignments. I know you'll do very well.

I must say I look forward to you coming home in a few months. This big old house feels lonelier all the time without you. I'm very excited for the new arrival, but I still miss my son.

Please write back soon.

With love,

Your father

Scorpius frowned at the letter. His father had been writing to him a lot more often in the past few months. He received a letter every week. They all sounded the same, wanting to know how he was doing, telling him he missed him. Scorpius imagined Draco, sitting alone at Malfoy Manor, no one to keep him company, and felt a pang of guilt. His father must be unhappy. Why else would he be writing all the time? He was lonely. Scorpius stared into the fire. He should go home that weekend and visit him. The new arrival must have been causing him to feel stressed. He probably needed his son now more than ever.

Glancing at the door to the dorm, Scorpius wanted more than anything to go tell Albus. Unfortunately, he and Albus were not on the best of terms. With a miserable sigh, Scorpius realized how much he missed his friend. Getting up, he strode into the dorm, determined to talk to Albus if he had to jinx him into doing it.

He marched over to Albus's bed and found the bed curtain draw tightly shut. Unable to resist, he peeked through them only to find an empty bed.

Scorpius shook his head bitterly and snatched A History of Magic off his nightstand. He flipped irritably through the pages as the night wore on. 

A few hours had passed. Most of the other boys had turned their lamps off and went to bed. Scorpius got up to check the common room for Albus for about the eighth time. No sign of him. Albus didn't return for the rest of the night.


	6. Chapter Six

Albus got very little sleep that night. He had wandered the school corridors until the wee hours of the morning, safe under the Invisibility Cloak James had agreed to share with him. By the time he returned to the Slytherin dorm, the portrait of Horace Slughorn was infuriated at being woken so early in the morning. 

He had done a fair bit of thinking in his aimless stroll, finally arriving at two conclusions. The first was that he liked Scorpius Malfoy. Second, Scorpius potentially liked him back.

Their kiss was ... something else. Whenever Albus had imagined his first kiss, he had never dreamed it would be with Scorpius, but now he couldn't believe he ever wanted to kiss anyone else. The more Albus thought about it, the more he desired to kiss those lips again.

He remembered last year, when his father, the famous Harry Potter, had forced Albus to stay away from Scorpius. It had almost killed him. It was then when Albus realized he couldn't live without his best friend. Even now that they had so many other friends, none of them came close to Scorpius. This frightened him. What if the kiss had ruined their friendship? What if things never went back to how they used to be? Scorpius was dating Rose. Surely he hadn't told her about the kiss. She would have ripped both of their heads off.

Albus considered how Scorpius had reacted to him breaking the kiss and giving him the cold shoulder. He had looked heartbroken. Did Scorpius like him back? Whatever happened to his feelings for Rose?

Cold and exhausted, both physically and mentally, Albus got to bed a few short hours before the sun rose and a bright blond boy rubbed his back and told him to rise and shine.

The next few days passed without much improvement and with very restless nights. Albus did not speak to Scorpius or anyone else. He felt himself fading into the background as the shock of Scorpius and Rose becoming a couple wore off. His best friend made countless attempts to strike up a conversation, but Albus didn't want to talk. He went to bed early each night before Scorpius could try to pull him into another heartfelt chat. Whenever his other friends asked him what was wrong, he lied and said he was fine. A part of him resented the way Rose looked at Scorpius, complete adoration in her eyes. Another part of him hated the way Scorpius gave her a half-hearted smile and shrugged away from her kisses. He felt guilty for the way he had been treating Scorpius and for how his actions would hurt Rose, yet his head still pounded with raging jealousy each time she tried to kiss his best friend.

Overall, Albus was more miserable than he'd ever been at Hogwarts, including the time he was forced to end his friendship with Scorpius.

The weekend came again. Albus rolled out of bed on Saturday to find the dorm empty. His watch sat on his nightstand, telling him it was nine thirty. He lazily pulled on a t-shirt and a pair of jeans.

The door creaked behind him. Scorpius entered slowly, not meeting his eyes. He was wearing his jade green sweatshirt, a look of apprehension on his face.

"Can I talk to you, please?" he said hesitantly.

"You don't need to ask." Albus started to make his bed.

Scorpius walked over, clasping his hands. "Albus, we need to talk about the kiss."

Albus didn't look up from his bed sheets. "You're dating Rose. The kiss never should've happened."

Scorpius took a moment to reply. "You're saying you didn't ... like it?"

Albus sighed. "Of course I liked it. It was amazing."

He saw his best friend blush, that cute little smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "I thought so."

"But you're dating Rose," Albus repeated.

"I know." Scorpius smiled sadly. "I'm going to break up with her."

Shocked, Albus asked, "Why? You've liked her since first year!"

"That's true." He bit his lip. "But I think I like someone else now."

Only the silence answered. Then Albus said, "You're going to break my cousin's heart because of me?"

"I don't think she's all that attached to me. But I have to tell her we kissed and that my feelings have changed."

Albus didn't know what to say. "What are we going to do?"

Scorpius took a deep breath. "I'm not sure what you want. All I know is that I like you, Albus Potter. Very, very much."

Albus dropped the sheet he had clenched in his fist. A million thoughts raced through his mind at once. "Scorpius," he began, "I ... I like you, too. Obviously. I think I always have. The night we kissed is what made me finally realize it. But what does this mean for us?"

Scorpius gave a small laugh and shrugged. "It means we hold hands in the corridors. You kiss me on the cheek and tell me I'm funny and I call you my -- "

Albus cast him an alarmed look. Scorpius bit his lip again.

"And I call you my boyfriend." He said the last word almost like a question.

Albus smoothed out the sheets on his bed. His head and heart seemed to ache in unison.

"Scorpius, do you even know what we're dealing with?" He looked sadly at his best friend. "This could change everything, ruin everything."

"I'm not worried," Scorpius whispered, "about what people will think. My dad's talked to me about stuff like this before. He's always told me he'd accept me no matter what. If you're worried about what your parents will say, your dad's a great man, he won't have a problem with -- "

"Is that what you think this is about?" Albus interrupted. "You think this is about boys liking boys? That's not the problem, Scorpius. You are my best friend. If this goes wrong, who am I going to turn to? If we mess this up, I don't think I'll be able to take it."

Albus took a deep breath and resisted the urge to collapse onto his bed. The painful past week had taken its toll on his weary heart and he was starting to feel it now. He looked into Scorpius's eyes. They sparkled in the morning light, the colour of diamonds.

"I don't know what I want," Albus whispered softly.

He welcomed Scorpius's lips like a blessing and felt his own face being cupped by two cold hands. The bright dormitory disappeared into green smoke. Like last time, it was broken far too soon.

"I do," Scorpius said firmly. Then he turned slowly towards the door and vanished down the stairs.


	7. Chapter Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not publishing in so long. I hope you guys are still interested.

Scorpius spent the afternoon down at the Quidditch pitch. Gryffindor was playing Ravenclaw and Rose had begged him to come watch her play. The cold March air bit their skin as they trudged down to the pitch, cloaks wrapped tight around them. Scorpius wasn't all that interested in the sport, but he figured it'd be nice to get out of the castle for the afternoon and get his mind off all the drama he'd been dealing with.

For an hour, Scorpius stood in the Gryffindor stands with Lily and Hugo, watching Rose and James on their Nimbus 2021s, zooming through the air at an incredible speed. James was as great a Seeker as his father had been in school. Rose didn't drop the Quaffle once and never missed a shot at the three goal posts. Heiress was commentating, loudly announcing each of Gryffindors goals. The game was over in fifty minutes, when James took a nose dive towards the earth and swooped back up, the Golden Snitch clutched between his fingers.

Rose flew up to the Gryffindor stands, leaped off her broom, and landed gracefully right next to Scorpius. She let her Nimbus hit the wooden floorboards as she threw her arms around him and gave him a cold kiss on the lips. Scorpius could do nothing but hug her back and try not to fall over onto Lily. He could hear the other Gryffindors roar with applause as Rose kissed both his cheeks, picked up her broom, and flew back down to the pitch.

"That was really cute," Lily said gleefully as they descended from the stands. "You two are such a perfect couple."

"Er, thanks," Scorpius mumbled as they started back towards the castle. Someone grabbed his shoulders from behind. He turned to see James.

"I never thought I'd see that," he shouted over the wind and the sounds of a hundred other students climbing back up to the school.

"Never thought you'd see what?" Scorpius asked numbly.

James laughed. "You and Rose snogging up in the stands. That was adorable."

Scorpius felt himself turn pink. A giggle sounded from behind him. Rose pushed between him and James.

"Hey," she said brightly. "Thanks for coming to watch me play. It means a lot."

Scorpius shrugged. "It was my pleasure. You played great, by the way."

"Thanks." She beamed. "You really think so?"

"Oh, yeah." Scorpius swallowed hard. "Definitely."

The five of them made their way back to the school, Heiress joining them as they reached the Entrance Hall.

"Nice commentating, Heiress," James said as they made their way to the Great Hall for lunch.

"Why, thank you." Heiress flipped her long dark braids over her shoulder. They laughed and parted for their house tables. Selel, Keith, and Noah were already seated. Scorpius felt a little disappointed that Albus was not there.

"I'm guessing Gryffindor won, then?" Selel asked as Scorpius and Heiress sat down.

"Of course," Heiress said. "They performed very well. Our team should feel very afraid to play them."

Noah scoffed. He was a Beater on the Slytherin Quidditch team. "No way! We've got a great team this year. Terrence Parkinson's one of the best Keepers I've ever seen."

 

That evening, Scorpius sat curled up on his bed, reading a novel Draco had bought for him. He couldn't focus. Between the upsetting letter from his father and his confused feelings for Albus, there was no room in his brain for anything else. To top it all off, he had no clue how to break up with Rose. She was euphoric at winning the Quidditch match. How was he supposed to break her heart now?

Scorpius realized he had been reading the same paragraph over and over again and had absorbed nothing. The book had been written by a Muggle. His father always said he should value the work of non-magical folk just as much as that of wizards. The story was fantastic. There was a powerful female protagonist and an apocalyptic society. He was really enjoying it, however, the lure of the pages couldn't quite reach him that evening.

Sometime around midnight, Albus came up to the dorm. He looked dreadful. Perhaps Scorpius hadn't noticed that morning, but dark purple circles darkened his face. A weary, exhausted look filled his eyes. He appeared to slouch.

As he walked between their beds, Scorpius opened his mouth to tell his best friend he needed to get some rest, but Albus held up his hand.

"I want to try something," he said softly.

Scorpius placed his leather bookmark between the pages of his book and tossed it onto his bedside table.

Albus sat down on Scorpius's bed. Suddenly, he felt his pulse quicken. His hands had become very clammy. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and sat bumping shoulders with his best friend, the boy he liked so much he was willing to give up his lifelong crush for him.

Albus cast him a nervous glance, but Scorpius only smiled. He couldn't help noticing how pretty Albus's eyes were, green as emeralds, deeper than the ocean. They twinkled merrily like stars, and Scorpius felt elated.

They leaned in. It seemed to take an eternity for their lips to meet. Albus's lips were as soft and warm as always. Scorpius felt an overwhelming sense of joy. Then Albus pulled back.

"I'm sorry," he gasped. "I can't do this. I need to know if you still have feelings for Rose."

Scorpius looked down at the floor. He knew he was ready to let Rose go. Indeed, he had liked her for many years, and truly, she was finally his, but he wanted Albus more. He was finally ready to admit that.

"No," he said firmly, and as sad as it made him, he knew it was the truth. "I don't like her anymore. I like you."

Albus beamed. "Good," he whispered. Then he kissed him.

It felt so wholesome to kiss Albus Potter. His hair was soft in Scorpius's fingers. His skin smelled of soap and he tasted like toothpaste. His nose brushed Scorpius's cheek delicately and his eyelashes tickled his face. Albus wrapped his arms around Scorpius's neck. The roar of Scorpius's pulse overcame any other sound in the quiet dorm. His mind became empty of every woe. In that moment, the only thing that mattered was the two of them.

They parted, only because they so badly needed to breathe. Albus had a strange smile on his face.

"What?" Scorpius asked, also grinning. He was somewhat breathless.

"That was nice, that's all," Albus said, chuckling.

"I know, right." They were openly laughing now.

Albus cocked his head to the side. "Does this make you my boyfriend?"

Scorpius pretended to think deeply for a moment. "Er, yeah. I suppose it does."

Albus flopped back on the bed. "Whoa," he sighed. "Scorpius Malfoy is my boyfriend."

Scorpius poked Albus in the ribs. "Yeah, yeah, you lucky prat. Now get to bed. You're exhausted." 

Rising, Albus gave one final appreciative sigh. Then he shuffled into his own bed.

"So, when do you think you'll break up with Rose?" he asked sleepily as he got under the covers. 

"I don't know," Scorpius mused. "Maybe Monday. She's really happy over winning the Quidditch match against Ravenclaw. I don't want to spoil her mood too soon."

Scorpius looked over to see that Albus had fallen asleep. His arm dangled over the edge of the bed awkwardly. Scorpius smiled endearingly and walked over, tucked Albus's arm beneath the blankets and kissed his forehead. Then he closed his bed curtain, turned off the lamp, and got into his own bed, falling asleep with the widest grin on his face.


	8. Chapter Eight

Albus slept in that Sunday and woke to find his bed curtains slightly open. Scorpius sat beyond, peering between them.

"Were you watching me sleep?" Albus yawned, pulling the curtains all the way open.

Scorpius grinned guiltily. "You caught me," he admitted.

Albus rolled out of bed. "Why?" he wondered, tugging off his pajama shirt. He felt Scorpius's eyes sweep across his bare chest and collar bones. They both blushed.

"You look so peaceful when you're sleeping," Scorpius murmured.

Albus pulled a t-shirt over his head and walked over to where his boyfriend sat, kissing his lips softly.

"Don't let me catch you doing it again," he whispered.

They sat up in the dorm for few hours, getting through their homework and discussing the Quidditch match. Albus rejoiced at how easy it was to talk to Scorpius now that they had come to terms with their feelings towards each other. Every now and then he had to stare up at him and think boyfriend. The thought made him laugh, yet it felt exactly right at the same time, like his whole life had been leading up to it. 

The two of them decided to skip lunch in order to avoid Rose Granger-Weasley. They sneaked down to the kitchens and nicked a few chicken legs from the house elves instead. It wasn't that difficult, as the elves begged them to take as much as they wanted.

Breathless with laughter, Albus and Scorpius ran back to the Slytherin common room, fingers full of stolen food. They stuffed themselves by the fireplace until they were too full to eat any more. 

They went back up to the dorm, too lazy to do more homework. Scorpius sat on his bed, reading his novel. Albus lay next to him, head in Scorpius's lap. He wanted to ask what his boyfriend's book was about, but a more pressing issue came into his mind. 

"What are we going to tell our parents?" 

Scorpius shrugged. "We tell them the truth. It's like I told you. They won't have a problem with us."

"Yeah, but when are we going to tell them?" Albus wondered. 

Scorpius closed his book. "I don't know. Maybe we could send them a letter."

Albus shook his head. "No. This is the kind of thing you should tell people in person." 

"So, when we get back to London in June?" he said.

"Yes. We break the news at King's Cross station," Albus said. 

Scorpius laughed. "That'll be a fun conversation. 'Hey dad, guess what? Albus Potter is my boyfriend!'"

Someone in the room gave a tiny gasp. Albus sat up quickly and glared at the door. Noah stood there, his mouth hanging open. He clutched a letter in his shaking hands. 

"Noah, what are you doing here?" Scorpius exclaimed, throwing his book aside. 

But Noah appeared to be frozen. He swallowed and said, "Are you two ... a couple?" 

Albus's mouth became very dry, as though it were filled with sand. Scorpius cleared his throat. 

"Er," he said nervously. "Yes, Noah. We are."

A moment of silence passed. Then, slowly but surely, a smile appeared on Noah's face. 

"That's great," he whispered. Suddenly, dropping the letter, he said, "I can't wait to tell the others!" 

Without warning, he dashed from the room and down the stairs. 

"Noah, wait!" 

But it was too late. Noah was gone. 

"Bloody hell," Albus muttered. Scorpius stood up and went to fetch the letter Noah had dropped on the floor. 

"Who's that for?" Albus asked. 

"Me," Scorpius answered. "It's from my dad."

At that moment, the sounds of voices came from the staircase. Noah, Selel, Keith, and Heiress, who wasn't supposed to be in the boys' dorm, came bustling through the doorway. 

"We've just heard from Noah," Keith said excitedly. "Is it true?"

Four pairs of eyes stared in wonder at the two of them. Albus felt Scorpius take his hand. "It's true," he said happily. 

There was a mixed reaction from their friends. Noah, Keith, and Selel looked overjoyed. Heiress scowled. 

"What about Rose?" she said crossly. "She still thinks you're her boyfriend. Wouldn't stop asking us where you were."

Scorpius frowned. "I'm going to break up with her tomorrow."

Heiress was not satisfied. "You should break up with her today," she said. "Otherwise you're cheating."

"It's not cheating!" Scorpius protested. "I didn't mean to hurt her. It just sort of happened. Besides, she's just won the Quidditch match yesterday. I don't want to ruin her happiness."

"If you don't tell her, I will," Heiress huffed. Then she turned and ran down the stairs. 

"Don't worry about her, mate," said Selel. 

"She'll come around," Keith reassured. "So, the two of you? I should have seen it coming."

"Yeah," Selel said. "Albus, is this why you've been so moody lately? Is it because you've been jealous of Rose?"

Albus felt himself turn pink. "I mean, yes, I suppose."

The group laughed and Scorpius threw an arm around his shoulder. Together, they went down to the common room, where Selel and Scorpius went head-to-head in Exploding Snap. Scorpius won at last after the two of them tied over and over again. 

Then, barely containing their laughter, the Slytherins went to dinner.


End file.
